Despite all the meticulous planning in the world - the onset of a global pandemic was something those behind Warrington's flagship Time Square development could never have seen coming.
The £142 million scheme officially finished construction earlier this month - although the £11 million state of the art new home of Warrington Market opened in July.
After some respite over summer, traders and staff have had to deal with the onset of two more full covid lockdowns.
Large parts of the market are now closed, including the entire Cookhouse food court area - a major attraction featuring 12 different traders serving a variety of cuisines.
Other hot food traders, including Cafe at the End of the Universe and Moran's, have also temporarily closed.
But a steady flow of regular customers, and adaptation, have kept essential retailers going in the face of unprecedented pressure.
Zack Wells, 26, has run Zack's Pet Stop for around three years.
For Zack, as with millions of others, Covid-19 has been infinitely more than a business problem.
In May, his great auntie Margaret, 88, died with the disease while just a month later his uncle Mark, 47, also lost his life.
He said: "It has been very hard, we have lost other family members as well. My Grandma passed away after a stroke and a friend of the family had cancer.
"But the vaccine does give me more confidence, my grandad who is 86 has just had the vaccine."
Zack's business has been able to ride out the lockdowns thanks to a strong customer base.
He said: "It has had a massive impact, no doubt, but we are getting more people trying to support your small, independent businesses.
"It has not been as bad as I thought, but it's a bit different for me with it being pets, as obviously people still need to feed their pets.
"I would say business has been down about 20%."
Speaking about fellow market stall holders that have been forced to close, he said: "I feel very gutted for them. They were all doing very well when it was open.
"When the time comes I hope they can open back up and we will all do everything we can to support each other."
Andrew Leicester, owner of Andrew's Fish, Game and Poultry, is a 25 year veteran of the market industry, including 15 in Warrington Market.
Speaking to the ECHO between serving customers fresh fish from his display, he said his "heart breaks" for other traders in the market and businesses in general.
He said: "In the short term, we're ok. But when you think of the future, the economic consequences of all this, that is when you worry.
"I know people who have gone out of business who are not going to open again, people who own restaurants and pubs.
"For pubs if they have not enough time to start selling food, or if people haven't been in business very long, the have no chance. Even some who have been in business a long time are struggling through lockdown.
"You can't pay the bills. The staff get furloughed and wages are taken care of, but the bills still come in. It's ok the first time, but then again and again."
Andrew, who also owns a fruit and veg stall across the market run by his son Robert, said a steady flow of regular customers have kept things ticking over - but the business has had to adapt with features such as home delivery.
He said: "Where some people would come in twice a week, we're seeing more people come in once a week and getting more stuff.
"The other thing that has happened is because the restaurants are closed people are coming in for for fancier things, a lot of lobster, snapper, turbot and halibut.
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"Over the summer people were barbecuing outside, and fish goes well on a barbecue."
One positive sign is the impact of the vaccine may be beginning to show through in the confidence of customers.
Andrew added: "I feel for the old people. Some have not been out since March, and there is a psychological effect of that.
"But I spoke to one lady who had received the vaccine and this was her first time out since March."
Margaret Price, who manages the Yates Greer butchers stall, told the ECHO that coming to work is a source of worry.
But she said: "We are just getting on with things the best we can really. We want to be here for our customers that are coming out.
"It would be so easy for us to say we're not going to open, but while customers are still coming out we will stay open."
Margaret, who has been in the butchers business for 48 years, told the ECHO she felt "absolutely terrible" for the businesses forced to close.
She said: "If it gets us through this then that is what we have got to do. We have been doing everything we can; with the screens, the handwashing, the face coverings.
"I go home and then I don't go out again. To be honest going to the supermarket worries me more than coming to work.
"The social distancing doesn't seem to happen, the amount of people in their that don't keep their distance."
When the ECHO visited on a week day morning, there was a steady stream of customers but a far cry from the busy, bustling market you would expect pre-pandemic.
But for Barbara and Graham Heightman, 74 and 78 respectively, the vaccine has given them a new feeling of confidence.
Barbara said: "We come here because it has the best meat and fresh fish is few and far between in the supermarkets these days.
"We have both had our first dose, it does give us a bit more confidence."
Despite the brutal pressure and uncertainty of the pandemic, signs are positive for its long term future.
Recent figures from the Centre for Cities revealed a strong performance for Warrington's high street.
The town found itself in the top 10 for both comparative footfall and spend across towns and cities in the country.
In December, compared to the last week of November, high street spend increased by 72%, meaning that Warrington has one of the top-performing high streets in the country.
The study found comparatively strong performance for the North West of the country, with Warrington sitting alongside Liverpool, Birkenhead and Wigan in the top 10.
Warrington Borough Council’s cabinet member for economic development and innovation, Cllr Tom Jennings, said: “A successful high street is key to a strong economy, and I’m pleased to see that Warrington continues to bounce back to such a degree that it again finds itself as one of the highest-performing places in the country.
“The findings by Centre for Cities, alongside the fact that we have paid 93% of more than 1,200 applications for Local Government Restrictions Grants, is a clear indicator for me that Warrington will be able to weather the worst of the pandemic, despite its immense challenges."
Warrington Market was also recently named the Cheshire Life Market of the Year.
Andrew's son, Robert Leicester, said: “The past 10 months have been extremely difficult for all businesses. Considering the circumstances, the new market, with its clean, open space, has been a huge success.
“The opening of the market has provided real support to small businesses, without which many would have struggled to survive
“With the continued support of local people, Warrington’s high street has a lot of potential for the future."
